Dress.



L. GUYETTE.

DRESS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, 1913.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914,

INVENTI'JR al owz $4. m

WiTN 5.52.521

. UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LoUIsn'eUYErrE, orrurraro, new 2031:, sssrenon r BAR-MON BROTHERS cou-PART, A rmm oomrosnn' or 'IDANIEL w. sermon AND names BARMON, or

serum, NEW YORK.

. DREW.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 11, 1913;Serial No- 760,386,

To all whom. it may concern {Be it known that I, Lomsn GUYE'I'PE, acitizen of the United States, residing at But tale, in the county ofErie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements inDresses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a dress which can be readily and convenientlycontracted or expanded at the waist line to suit the size of the waistof the wearer and still preserve a neat and shapely appearance thereofin any size to which the same may be adjusted.

Such a dress is particularly designed as a maternity dress although theinvention 1s applicable to dresses for general use.

It is the object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensivegarment of this character which can be easily made of cotton or otherwashable fabriqwhich can be quickly adjusted to suit the waistmeasurement of the wearer and which presents an attractive and finishedappearance in all the waist line adjustments.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a dressembodying my invention and showing the same contracted at the waistline. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the dress containing my im vprovements and showing the same expanded at the waist line. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section, on an enlarged scale, in line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isa horizontal section, on an enlarged. scale, in line 44, Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe severalviews.

The main parts of the dress shown in the drawings for illustrating myinvention consist of a bodice blouse or waist 1 and a skirt 2 extendingdownwardly from the bodice. At the back of the dress and opposite sidesof the median line two upright plaits 3, 3 are formed in the bodice andskirteach of which is adapted to be folded more or less to suit thewaist measurement of the erson by whom the dress is to be worn. %ach ofthese plaits is preferably "folded inwardly more or less when the waistis contracted, as shown in Fig. 3, and the plait is widest at the waistline and gradually becomes narrower from the waist line upwardly anddownwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig.1. Between the two skirt areprovided with a panel which is' narrowestat the waist line and widensupwardly and downwardly from this line. For the purpose of expanding thedress so asto adapt the same for a waist of larger size the plaits arelet out more or less, or may be let out completely to suit the largestwaist measurement for which the dress is intended, as shown in Figs. 2and 4.

Various means may be employed for holding the plaits in the variousadjusted positions but those shown in the drawings are suitable andcomprise two tabs 5 arranged on the waist band or belt 4 on oppositesides of the vertical central back line and having tabs 5 containingbutton holes 6, 6 and two horizontal rows of buttons 7, 7 preferablysewed to the belt or waist band and each row arranged on the inner partof one of the plaits and adapted to engage with the button hole in theadjacent companion tab of the waist band. By shifting the button holesof the tabs from one-corresponding pair of buttons to another the foldof theplaits may be either increased or decreased in width and the waistmeasurement adjusted accordingly- Owing to the gradual reduction in thewidth of the plaits from the waist line upwardly and downwardly thedress hangs evenly and presents aneat appearance inasmuch as allfullness is taken care of when the plaits are let out fully as well aswhen the same are folded, thereby enabling this garment to be used as ahouse dress which is as serviceable as a dress having no provision foradjusting the same about the waist. I

Instead of buttons and button holes other suitable fast-enings may beemployed and if desired but a single button may be employed for eachplait in which case this button is shifted from place to place along thewaist line as required to suit the changeable waist line measurement.Owing to the use of buttons for eifecting the waist line adjustment ofthe garment the same can be made wholly of materials which can bereadily washed and ironed.

My invention is particularly desirable as a maternity dress inasmuch asthe same can be used about the house and still permit of frequentlychanging the size of the waist line. The lower end or bottom of theskirt Patented Jan.6, 1914. v

- centrally at the back of the bodice and length of the skirt to bechanged to suit the wearer. 4

I claim as my invention:

1. A dress comprising a bodice, a skirt connected with the bodice, apanel arranged centrall at the back of the bodice and skirt and wi eningfrom the waist lineupwardly and downwardly, and plaits arranged betweenopposite sides of the panel and the adjacent parts of the dress.

2. A dress comprising a bodice, a skirt connected with the bodice, apanel arranged skirt and widening from the waist line u wardly anddownwardly, plaits arranged opposite sides of the panel and the adjacentparts of the dress, and means for holding said plaits in a more or lessfolded position,

3. A dress comprising a bodice, a skirt is provided with a deep hem 12to permit the,

- the plaits with and tabs arranged at opposite edges of the etween andwidening from the waistline upwardly and downwardl plaits arrangedbetween opposite sides 0 the panel and the adjacent parts of the dress,and means for holding said plaits in a more or less folded position,comprising a belt secured to the dress at the waist line and providedadjacent to horizontal rows of buttons,

panel and rovided with button holes for engaging said buttons.

Witness my hand this 19th day of March, 1913.

LOUISE GUYETTE.

Witnesses Sornm MARCUS, ,AIBnRrnEN M. JAcKsoN.

